
Uruguay's President Tabaré Vázquez and Petrobras CEO Roberto Castello Branco met Tuesday in Santa Fe, Argentina, to discuss a possible solution to the crisis affecting Montevideo's two gas suppliers, which are both subsidiaries of the Brazilian consortium.

Uruguay's President Tabaré Vázquez is ready to hold a first-ever one-on-one meeting with his Brazilian counterpart Jair Bolsonaro to discuss bilateral issues, during this coming Wednesday's Mercosur summit at the newly remodelled west wing of the historic Belgrano Railway Station in the city of Santa Fe, Argentina.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri Tuesday launched an appeal in Montevideo to find solutions to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela and called for the return of democracy in that country. He delivered that speech during the Mercosur summit where he is to take up the bloc's rotating presidency from host Tabaré Vázquez.

Bolivia’s football-mad President Evo Morales has offered his Argentine, Uruguayan and Paraguayan counterparts help in their joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
Morales made the offer to the equally passionate presidents, Mauricio Macri of Argentina, Uruguay’s Tabare Vazquez and Paraguayan Mario Abdo Benitez during regional Mercosur heads of state meeting in Montevideo.

The presidents of all Mercosur member and associate countries gathered Tuesday in Montevideo for a summit to redefine the bloc's future, in light of recent statements from Brazil's future government that the region will not be among the priorities of Jair Bolsonaro when he becomes president on January 1.

The Canadian government plans to open free trade talks with the four-nation Mercosur trading bloc in South America at a time when the future of NAFTA is facing increasing uncertainty. Canada sends around 75% of its goods exports to the United States and is looking for new markets to reduce the reliance on its southern neighbor.

Argentine president Mauricio Macri in Brasilia expressed full solidarity with the Venezuelan people, called for human rights respect and freedom for the political prisoners held by the regime of president Nicolas Maduro.

Mercosur is the most isolated and protectionist block in the world, said Argentine president Mauricio Macri on Thursday during a meeting with Argentine media, in Brasilia, in the framework of the current presidential summit during which the six-month rotating chair of the group will passed from Brazil to Paraguay.

Egypt is attending the ministerial meeting of the Mercosur bloc in Brasilia to deliver a message about the importance of joining the group, Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Tarek Kabil said in a statement.

Mercosur through its pro-tempore presidency under Venezuela is involved in a round of contacts to agree on the group's much delayed XLVI summit which has been postponed because of problems with 'presidents' agenda', revealed Paraguayan foreign minister Eladio Loizaga.